Abstract: A process is provided for treating a hydrocarbon gas stream comprising sending the hydrocarbon gas stream to a membrane unit to be separated into a residue stream and a permeate gas stream; then sending the permeate gas stream with or without undergoing compression to a solvent absorption unit to remove carbon dioxide and other impurities; and recovering a treated gas.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of conditioning suspended catalysts, wherein at least part of the catalyst-comprising reaction medium is taken from one or more reactors and the suspended, at least partially inactivated catalysts are separated off and purified by means of at least one membrane filtration, with at least one of the membrane filtrations being carried out as a diafiltration.

Abstract: A separation membrane is described. The separation membrane comprises a porous inorganic membrane, the pores of the inorganic membrane being coated with a polybenzoxazole polymer coating. Methods of making the separation membrane and methods of separating xylenes using the separation membrane are also described.

Abstract: A device for separating fuel components comprising a separating membrane for separating high-octane fuel components from un-separated fuel and a heat exchanger between first liquid passing through the heat exchanger and second liquid passing through the heat exchanger, is provided. The first liquid is un-separated fuel passing through the heat exchanger before being supplied to the separating membrane. The second liquid is low-octane fuel remaining when the high-octane fuel components are separated from the un-separated fuel, passing through the heat exchanger after changing to an almost liquid phase.

Abstract: A gas separation process for treating off-gas streams from reaction processes, and reaction processes including such gas separation. The invention involves flowing the off-gas across the feed side of a membrane, flowing a sweep gas stream, usually air, across the permeate side, and passing the permeate/sweep gas mixture to the reaction. The process recovers unreacted feedstock that would otherwise be lost in the waste gases in an energy-efficient manner.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus relate to separating and removing aromatic compounds from a hydrocarbon stream. Splitting of the hydrocarbon stream into constituents as desired relies on a membrane and distillation columns that supply feed into the membrane and receive retentate and permeate streams output from the membrane. Configurations employing the membrane and the distillation columns enable benzene recovery and facilitate efficient separation.

Abstract: This invention relates to an ultrafiltration process for separating a heavy hydrocarbon stream to produce an enriched saturates content stream(s) utilizing an ultrafiltration separations process. The enriched saturates content streams can then be further processed in refinery and petrochemical processes that will benefit from the higher content of saturated hydrocarbons produced from this separations process. The invention may be utilized to separate heavy hydrocarbon feedstreams, such as whole crudes, topped crudes, synthetic crude blends, shale oils, oils derived from bitumen, oils derived from tar sands, atmospheric resids, vacuum resids, or other heavy hydrocarbon streams into enriched saturates content product streams. The invention provides an economical method for separating heavy hydrocarbon stream components by molecular species instead of molecular boiling points.

Abstract: A gas separation process for treating off-gas streams from reaction processes, and reaction processes including such gas separation. The invention involves flowing the off-gas across the feed side of a membrane, flowing a sweep gas stream, usually air, across the permeate side, and passing the permeate/sweep gas mixture to the reaction. The process recovers unreacted feedstock that would otherwise be lost in the waste gases in an energy efficient manner.

Abstract: Membrane separation processes and systems are disclosed that pass a portion of the feed (102) to the permeate side of the membrane (104) to reduce membrane surface area and thus provide economically attractive processes and systems for treating large volume refinery and chemical process streams.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a process for the separation of aromatics from a feed stream, including aromatics and non-aromatics by selectively permeating the aromatics through a membrane comprising feeding a mixed phase vapor-liquid feed to a membrane wherein said liquid phase preferentially wets the surface of the membrane.

Abstract: A method of removing at least benzene from a hydrocarbon stream comprises concentrating aromatics in the hydrocarbon stream by passing the hydrocarbon stream through a membrane unit having at least one membrane to produce a permeate stream and a retentate stream, wherein the permeate stream is aromatics rich relative to the hydrocarbon stream; and extracting aromatics after concentrating using a selective aromatics extraction solvent in an extraction unit to produce an extract stream, wherein the extract stream is aromatics rich relative to the permeate stream.

Abstract: Process for the production of a RON isomerate that is at least equal to 80 and that contains less than 1% by weight of aromatic compounds and for co-production of an aromatic fraction that for the most part contains toluene, starting from a fraction with 7 carbon atoms containing paraffins, aromatic compounds and naphthenes.

Abstract: In an isomerization process where the isomerization effluent (114) is fractionated in a deisohexanizer (116) to provide a lower boiling fraction (122) containing dimethylbutanes, a higher boiling fraction containing methylpentanes and a bottoms stream (120) containing normal hexane and heavies, the bottoms stream is contacted with a selective permeation membrane (124) to provide a normal hexane-containing permeate (128) suitable for recycle to the isomerization. The energy consumption of the deisohexanizer (116) can be reduced without adversely affecting the octane rating of the overhead (122).

Abstract: Methods for treating a gas mixture of at least propylene and propane, in order to separate the propylene from the propane. The gas mixture is brought into contact with a membrane enables the selective permeation of the propylene with respect to the propane. A propylene-enriched permeate and a propane-enriched retentate is formed. The propylene concentration of the permeate in the membrane is then reduced with a sweeping gas.

Abstract: A system for producing an auxiliary fuel stream containing a low concentration of sulfur compounds from a primary fuel stream includes a first separation stage to separate a portion of a primary fuel stream into a first vapor permeate stream and a first retentate stream, a first separation stage partial condenser connected to the first vapor permeate stream condensing a portion of the first vapor permeate stream into a first liquid stage stream and a first vapor stage stream, and a second separation stage partial condenser condensing a portion of the first vapor stage stream into a second liquid stage. The first vapor permeate stream is preferable sent through a vapor phase reactive desulfurization catalyst reactor to condition any sulfur compounds present into species that can be easily separated from the fuel stream.

Abstract: A method and system for blending components obtained from a feed stock. The method includes flowing a first stream through a membrane member, with the membrane member having a first wafer assembly comprising a first thin film polymer membrane, a first permeate zone, and heat transfer means for transferring heat from the first permeate zone to the polymer membrane. The method includes exposing the first stream to the polymer membrane and providing a heated fluid to the heat transfer means in order to heat the permeate zone and the polymer membrane as the first stream is being flown through the first wafer assembly. The method further includes removing a permeate stream from the permeate zone. The permeate stream may be conducted to at least one refinery process unit for further processing. In the preferred embodiment, the feed stock is a naphtha.

Abstract: Processes are disclosed for production of purified products from a fluid mixtures of C8 aromatics by means of integration of perm-selective separations with purified product recovery operations. The perm-selective separations of the invention comprise of one or more devices using polymeric perm-selective membrane devices to separate a meta-xylene enriched stream from fluid mixtures of C8 aromatics thereby producing a fluid comprising the remaining aromatic compounds which advantageously includes para-xylene. Processes of the invention are particularly useful for recovery of very pure meta-xylene and para-xylene co-products from liquid mixtures even containing ethylbenzene as well as the three xylene isomers.

Abstract: Processes and apparatus are disclosed for recovery of purified products from a fluid mixture by means of integrated perm-selective separations with purified product recovery operations. More particularly, integrated processes of the invention comprise separations by means of one or more devices using polymeric membranes coupled with recovery of purified products by means of fractional crystallization and/or selective sorption. Processes of the invention are particularly useful for recovery of a very pure aromatic isomer when processing aromatic starting materials, for example, a pure para-xylene product from liquid mixtures even containing ethylbenzene as well as the three xylene isomers.

Abstract: A method of removing at least benzene from a hydrocarbon stream comprises concentrating aromatics in the hydrocarbon stream by passing the hydrocarbon stream through a membrane unit having at least one membrane to produce a permeate stream and a retentate stream, wherein the permeate stream is aromatics rich relative to the hydrocarbon stream; and extracting aromatics after concentrating using a selective aromatics extraction solvent in an extraction unit to produce an extract stream, wherein the extract stream is aromatics rich relative to the permeate stream.

Abstract: A membrane is used in combination with fractionation and hydrodesulfurization to reduce the sulfur content of hydrocarbon feeds, preferably sulfur-containing naphtha feeds. A membrane separation zone is employed to treat a fraction of effluent from a fractionation zone containing sulfur-containing non-aromatic hydrocarbons to produce a sulfur rich permeate and sulfur deficient retentate. The sulfur rich permeate and a second fraction of the fractionation zone, which contains sulfur-containing aromatic hydrocarbons, are further treated in a hydrodesulfurization zone. The stream from the hydrodesulfurization zone and the sulfur deficient retentate from the membrane separation zone are then processed as low sulfur hydrocarbon streams, especially those streams being processed in the manufacture of gasoline when the initial hydrocarbon stream is naphtha from a fluidized catalytic cracking unit.

Abstract: An onboard fuel separation apparatus separates a material fuel (gasoline) into a high-octane fuel having a higher octane value than the material fuel and a low-octane fuel having a lower octane value than the material fuel using a separation membrane which selectively allows high-octane value components (such as aromatic components) permeate through the membrane. The apparatus increases the ratio of the amount of the high-octane value components permeating through the membrane to the amount of the high-octane value components contained in the material fuel by, (A) Controlling the temperature of the material fuel supplied to the membrane (B) Increasing partial pressure of the low-octane value components on the high-octane fuel side of the membrane and removing volatiles from the permeate, and (C) Bypassing volatiles in the material feed around the membrane.

Abstract: A process for the separation of mixture components uses a supercritical fluid that is fresh to at least one side of a nonporous membrane after which the fluid is either recycled to the opposite side of the membrane or removed from the separation process. Fluids and membranes, including modified membranes, are provided to facilitate passage of one or more components of a mixture through the membrane while retarding passage of other components of the mixture. The process is useful for the separation of mixtures with similar components including axeotropic mixtures and pharmaceutical and biological products.

Abstract: A process for the separation of sulfur compounds from a hydrocarbon mixture using a membrane is provided. Preferred hydrocarbon mixtures are oil refining fractions such as light cracked naphtha. Membranes are composed of either ionic or non-ionic materials and preferentially permeate sulfur compounds over other hydrocarbons. A single or multi-stage membrane system separates the hydrocarbon mixture into a sulfur-rich fraction and a sulfur-lean fraction. The sulfur-lean fraction may be used in fuel mixtures and the sulfur-rich fraction may be further treated for sulfur reduction.

Abstract: A method for separating p-xylene by separating and recovering only p-xylene from a p-xylene-containing raw material mixture under high-temperature and high-pressure conditions using a zeolite membrane as a separating membrane is provided. The p-xylene partial pressure at the raw material side of the separating membrane is kept at a sufficiently high pressure and the p-xylene partial pressure at the recovery side of the separating membrane is controlled at a pressure which is not higher than the inflection point of p-xylene adsorption curve. This method for separating p-xylene using a zeolite membrane as a separating membrane can secure a sufficient p-xylene permeation amount and has industrial applicability.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing cumene by reacting propylene with benzene, including treating a vent stream from the reaction zone, to recover propylene for return to the reactor. The process involves using a gas separation membrane to separate propylene from propane in the reactor vent stream. The membrane separation step results in a residue stream typically containing as much as 30%, 40% or more propane, which is vented from the process, and a permeate stream containing 95% or less propylene, which is recirculated to the reactor.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process and a chemical plant for the production primarily of paraxylene. In particular the process and chemical plant utilise zeolite membranes for enhanced paraxylene production.

Abstract: A method for separation of p-xylene by separating and recovering only p-xylene from a p-xylene-containing raw material mixture under high-temperature and high-pressure conditions using a zeolite membrane as a separating membrane, in which method the p-xylene partial pressure at the raw material side of the separating membrane is kept at a sufficiently high pressure and the p-xylene partial pressure at the recovery side of the separating membrane is controlled at a pressure which is not higher than the inflexion point of p-xylene adsorption curve. This method for separation of p-xylene using a zeolite membrane as a separating membrane can secure a sufficient p-xylene permeation amount and has industrial applicability.

Abstract: A membrane and membrane separation process useful in gas, vapor and liquid separations. The membrane comprises a separating layer of a polymer that is characterized by a high glass transition temperature, Tg, such as at least about 100° C., and a high free volume within the polymer material itself, such as a fractional free volume of at least about 0.20. Within the polymer material are dispersed fine non-porous particles, such as silica or carbon black particles, having an average diameter no greater than about 1,000 Å. The membrane is particularly useful for separating C3+ hydrocarbons from other gases.

Abstract: Permselective separation of aromatic hydrocarbons from non-aromatic hydrocarbons in a feed stream is accomplished using improved asymmetric membranes. The preferred membranes are fashioned from a polyimide and conditioned with a lubricating oil. Feed streams containing a mixture of aromatic and non-aromatic hydrocarbons are contacted with the dense active layer side of the polyimide membrane under a pressure and temperature sufficient to selectively permeate the desired aromatic hydrocarbon.

Abstract: Producing light olefins from a contaminated liquid hydrocarbon feed by means of thermal cracking of, which process comprises the steps of supplying the feed (6) to the inlet (7) of a membrane unit (1) provided with a polysiloxane membrane (10), and removing from the permeate side (9) a permeate (14) and from the retentate side (8) a retentate (12); supplying the permeate (14) to the inlet of a cracking furnace (2), allowing the permeate to crack in the coils (15, 16) of the cracking furnace (2) in the presence of steam (17) at elevated temperature and removing from the cracking furnace (2) a cracked stream (19) which is enriched in light olefins; quenching (22, 24) the cracked stream; supplying the cooled cracked stream to a fractionation column (3); supplying the retentate (12) to the fractionation column (3); and removing from the fractionation column (3); a gaseous stream (30), a side stream of fuel oil components (45) and a bottom stream (50).

Abstract: To reduce the benzene content of a hydrocarbon mixture that contains benzene and other hydrocarbons, the mixture is fed to a distillation column so as to separate an overhead distillate, a bottom residue, and a sidestream having a benzene content richer than in the distillate and in the residue; the resultant sidestream is sent to at least one permeation zone to permeate the benzene selectively and retain a retentate having a reduced content of benzene; and at least part of the retentate is recycled to at least one level in the distillation column, preferably two levels, one at above and one below the feedpoint to the column. The permeate benzene stream is optionally subjected to extractive distillation in order to increase the purity of the resultant benzene.

Abstract: A mixture that contains benzene, other aromatic hydrocarbons and paraffinic hydrocarbons and/or naphthenic hydrocarbons that have 5 to 10 carbon atoms undergoes distillation in a first column, producing a distillate and a residue; a phase is drawn off laterally from the first distillation column, preferably at a point on the column where the benzene content is essentially at maximum where the toluene content is low; the phase that is drawn off is sent toward a first permeation stage, which produces a permeate that is enriched with benzene and a retentate; at least a portion of said retentate is recycled toward said first distillation column; the benzene-enriched permeate from stage (3) is sent to a second distillation column, from which the purified benzene comes out at the bottom and a distillate vapor comes out at the top; the distillate vapor is condensed, and the condensed distillate is sent at least in part to a second permeation stage; in said second permeation stage, a permeate that is also enriched in

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for recovering styrene from a feedstock containing at least styrene, ethylbenzene, and one or more aromatic or non-aromatic hydrocarbon compounds which includes separating said feedstock into a first stream relatively more concentrated in styrene than said feedstock and a second stream relatively more concentrated in ethylbenzene than said feedstock, recovering styrene from said first stream to produce a styrene product stream, dehydrogenating the ethylbenzene of said second stream to produce additional styrene, and recovering said additional styrene. The feedstock may be separated into said first and second streams by a process selected from the class consisting of extractive distillation, azeotropic distillation, distillation, liquid-liquid extraction, chemical complex formation, membrane separation, and combinations thereof, and the additional styrene may be recovered by recycling it into said feedstock.

Abstract: A process disclosed for the separation, purification and recovery of an unsaturated hydrocarbon from its mixture with at least one other material using a facilitated transport liquid membrane system.

Abstract: Applicant has discovered a new zeolite membrane and a process for preparing the same. The membrane is unique in that the zeolite crystals making up the membrane pack in a manner such that the membrane is essentially continuous with no large scale voids even when the membrane is <10 .mu.m thick. Thus, the present invention is directed toward a zeolite membrane wherein said membrane is comprised of a porous substrate and a layer of zeolite crystals wherein said layer of zeolite crystals is a polycrystalline layer with at least 99% of said zeolite crystals having at least one point between adjacent crystals that is .ltoreq.20 .ANG. and wherein at least 90% of said crystals have widths of from about 2 to about 50 microns and wherein at least 75% of said crystals have a thickness of within 20% of the average crystal thickness and wherein said membrane has at most 1 V % voids in said zeolite layer.

Abstract: A new copolymer composition comprises the hard segment of a polyimide and the soft segment of an oligomeric aliphatic polycarbonate or a mixture of an oligomeric aliphatic polycarbonate and an oligomeric aliphatic polyester. The new polyimide copolymer membranes have exhibited high selectivity and flux for separation of an aromatic/saturate mixture.

Abstract: A semicontinuous process for solvent dewaxing a waxy petroleum oil feed stream including the steps of: diluting of the waxy oil feed stream with solvent; feeding cold oil/solvent/wax mixture to a filter to remove the wax and obtain an oil/solvent filtrate stream; contacting the oil/solvent filtrate stream with a selective semipermeable membrane to selectively transfer solvent through the membrane to obtain a solvent-rich permeate; and periodically directing a warm stream of recovered solvent onto the membrane surface to wash the membrane and remove impurities therefrom.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for effectively separating an unsaturated hydrocarbon from a feedstock containing at least two similar unsaturated hydrocarbons comprising passing the feedstock over one side of an ionopore membrane charged with a facilitator having an affinity for each of the at least two similar unsaturated hydrocarbons and recovering from a second side of the membrane permeate containing predominantly one of the at least two similar unsaturated hydrocarbons, the similar unsaturated hydrocarbons being selected from the group consisting essentially of aromatic, alkene, and diene hydrocarbons.This invention further relates to a method for achieving liquid phase separation of at least two competing components from a feedstock containing the components such that the separation factor for the competing components is at least about 4 times the separation factor calculated when permeating single components using the same membrane and under the same conditions.

Abstract: A process for solvent dewaxing petroleum feedstock to separate crystallized wax from lubricant oil by filtration of a wax/oil/solvent mixture. The feedstock is sequentially cooled and mixed with cold polar solvent to form a wax crystal phase and oil-solvent phase, and-the oil-solvent filtrate stream is contacted with solvent permeable selective membrane at low temperature to recover an internal circulating permeate solvent stream and an oil-rich retentate stream containing dewaxed oil product and residual solvent. Improved operation is achieved by splitting the internal circulating solvent stream into a multiple cold solvent recycle streams and injecting a plurality of the cold solvent recycle streams into the waxy petroleum feedstock during sequential cooling and mixing. By initially injecting a cold recycle solvent stream in to the waxy petroleum feedstock at a small temperature differential near the wax crystallization temperature, shock cooling and excess small wax crystal formation is avoided.

Abstract: A feed stream comprising a mixture of at least two separable components is separated into a permeate rich in one or more components and a retentate lean in those same components by a process comprising dissolving the feed in a supercritical solvent under supercritical conditions to produce a solution and contacting the solution with a dense, non-porous perstraction membrane having a first and a second surface, said contacting being along a first surface, wherein a portion of the feed dissolves into the first surface of the membrane, migrates through the perstraction membrane under a concentration gradient and emerges from the membrane at the second surface, as a permeate, the permeate being removed from the second surface by use of a sweep fluid comprising a supercritical solvent at supercritical conditions which may be the same as or different from the supercritical solvent in which the feed is dissolved.

Abstract: The pervaporative treatment of hydrocarbon feeds which have been exposed to air or oxygen and which contain mixtures of aromatic and non-aromatic hydrocarbons to selectively separate the feed into an aromatics rich stream and a non-aromatics rich stream is improved by the step of pretreating the hydrocarbon feed over an adsorbent such as attapulgite clay.

Abstract: The present invention includes the use of crosslinked fluorinated polyolefin membranes membranes for the separation of aromatics from saturates, wherein aromatics can contain sulfur and nitrogen.

Abstract: A process for solvent dewaxing a waxy oil feed to obtain petroleum oil lubricating stock comprising the steps of contacting a warm waxy oil feed by indirect heat exchange first with cold filtrate, then with refrigerant to crystallize and precipitate the wax in the oil feed to form an oil/solvent/wax mixture. The oil/solvent/wax mixture is diluted with cold solvent to adjust the viscosity of the mixture and the mixture is fed to a filter which filters and removes the wax from the cold oil/solvent/wax mixture. A cold wax cake is recovered and a cold oil/solvent filtrate stream is recovered. The cold oil/solvent filtrate stream is fed, at the filtration temperature, to a selective permeable membrane. The membrane selectively separates the cold filtrate into a cold solvent permeate stream and a cold filtrate stream which contains the dewaxed oil and the remaining solvent. The cold solvent permeate stream at the filtration temperature is recycled to the filter feed stream.

Abstract: A process for solvent dewaxing a waxy oil feed to produce a lubricating oil by contacting a warm waxy oil feed in counter-current with a cold oil/solvent filtrate stream through a selectively permeable membrane to transfer cold solvent through the membrane to the feed and simultaneously cool the feed, dilute it with solvent and separate solvent from the cold oil/solvent filtrate stream. The cooled, diluted feed stream is then further cooled to precipitate the wax to form an oil/solvent/wax mixture which is further diluted with cold solvent and filtered to remove wax. The cold oil/solvent filtrate stream is cycled to the selectively permeable membrane for the counter-current contact with the warm waxy oil feed and, after removal of a portion of the solvent over the membrane, is sent to an oil/solvent separation operation in which the solvent is removed from the dewaxed oil.

Abstract: Straight run hydrocarbon distillate streams containing low concentrations of 2-ring aromatics can be processed to remove a high percentage of the 2-ring aromatics by contacting said stream with one side of a polyester imide membrane under pervaporation conditions to produce a permeate stream containing a very high percentage of 2-ring aromatics and a retentate stream of severely reduced 2-ring aromatic content.

Abstract: A charge containing dewaxed oil/dewaxing solvent may be treated to effect separation of components by a thermally cross-linked hydrocarbon-derived elastomer membrane, typified by polybutadiene.

Abstract: Dewaxed oil containing dewaxing solvent from solvent dewaxing is treated by contact with a separating elastomer membrane to yield a retentate containing increased content of dewaxed oil and decreased content of dewaxing solvent and a permeate which contains increased content of dewaxing solvent and decreased content of dewaxed oil--the membrane including a barrier layer of an adduct of maleic acid anhydride and a poly(aliphatic terpene) which has been thermally cross-linked.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method for the synthesis of unsaturated aliphatic polyesters, their crosslinking by thermal treatment and the use of the corresponding crosslinked membranes to separate aromatics from saturates.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method for the synthesis of saturated aliphatic polyesters by reaction of saturated or aromatic diacid chlorides with oligomeric aliphatic polyester diols, a method to thermally crosslink membranes prepared from the above saturated aliphatic polyesters, and the use of the crosslinked membranes to separate aromatics from saturates.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method for separating mixtures of aromatics and non-aromatics into aromatic-enriched and non-aromatic-enriched streams by contacting the mixture with one side of a polysulfone membrane and selectively permeating the aromatic components through the membrane.